Oregon Department of Agriculture issues temporary rules to help prevent the spread of equine herpesvirus 

KTVZ on November 21, 2025

KTVZ

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Agriculture announced Friday it has issued temporary rules to help reduce the risk of spreading Equine Herpes Virus (EHV)/Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy.

The rules filed on Wednesday “will immediately strengthen Oregon’s ability to prevent the entry and spread of EHV/EHM by requiring additional safeguards for horses entering the state or attending high-risk events,” ODA said in a news release that continues in full below:

ODA was recently made aware of an outbreak of EHV/EHM in horses that were at or associated with barrel racing and rodeo-type events in Texas and Oklahoma. Several cases of EHV/EHM have been confirmed in Texas and Oklahoma associated with these equine events, with numerous reports of additional cases and equine deaths pending investigation.  

Oregon currently has no confirmed cases of EHV/EHM. ODA is coordinating with the affected states to quarantine any horses that have returned to Oregon after being exposed at the Texas and Oklahoma events.  

Rules Overview 

All exhibitions where equines will be present must register with ODA at least 20 days before the event.  

Specific records must be collected at the time of entry. 

At least one designated veterinarian is involved in planning the exhibition and is available to provide care.  

Each exhibition where equines are present must have a designated isolation area. 

Exhibition requirements and registration: ODA Animal Health Website  

Filed rules are online at:  Rulemaking at ODA 

Equine Herpes Virus Information: 

EHV‐1 is spread from horse to horse through contact with nasal discharge or spread as aerosol droplets.  Infected horses may not show clinical signs of the virus but may still act as carriers.  

Horses can also contract the virus by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces such as stalls, water, feed, tack, and transport vehicles.  People can spread the virus from horse to horse through contaminated hands and clothing. 

Owners should watch for signs and symptoms and practice biosecurity measures.  Good biosecurity practices include thorough cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment that come into contact with affected horses, and individuals who treat or come into contact with infected horses must follow appropriate disinfection protocols when handling multiple horses. 

Additional information and resources: 

A Guide to Understanding the Neurologic Form of EHV Infection 

AAEP EHV FAQ 

AAEP General Biosecurity Guidelines 

CDFA – AHFSS – AHB – Biosecurity Toolkit for Equine Events 

Oregon Department of Agriculture Equine Herpesvirus Webpage 

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Community voices intensify as St. Joseph awaits final school reorganization vote

News-Press NOW on November 21, 2025

Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — After six months of bouncing between different reorganization plans, St. Joseph residents are expressing exhaustion.

For months now, the big question around town has been which plan the school board will finally choose and put into action. Residents know, no single plan will make every person happy, but the long wait for clarity is starting to wear on families, students and staff more than ever.  

At the most recent public hearing, community members didn’t hold back. Many shared just how emotionally draining this process has been.  

Lt. Col. David L. Jones, vice president of the St. Joseph National Education Association, urged the board to recognize how painful this has been across the district.

Jones shared his opinion, as Benton High School’s future was on the line for a period of time, before the SJSD School Board began reviewing other options.

“I think, you know, many people have the sentiment or the feeling. It’s almost like a terrorist act on the South Side, their very heart and souls are being ripped out of their community,” Jones said.  

He pushed the board to choose a plan that causes the least disruption for families and kids who are just trying to get through the school year.  

Sophomore Chloe Strong from Benton High School also stepped up to the mic. She pleaded for the board to adopt plan 4BR — a plan she said connects deeply with her family’s legacy.  

“I am confused how we got here. Just when we thought the board was listening to the students and the families around St. Joe, just to wind up here again. Now all we can do is plead tonight to tell you we need a decision to be made,” Strong added.  

Another voice came from 2006 Lafayette graduate and current Benton cheer coach, Becky Hill, who argued the district must keep all three high schools open and return to the community-built Plan E.  

Hill said if it hadn’t been for cheerleading at Lafayette, she never would’ve found the sense of belonging she needed during those years. Now that she’s back in the district, coaching at Benton, she said that same connection is what helps her bond with her own students.  

“Growing up, I came from a low-income background, and my family didn’t have money for the cheer lessons. If Lafayette had not existed, I would have never had the chance to cheer,” Hill said.  

Parents also weighed in. Jackie Kiger urged the board to slow down, take a breath and rethink what’s at stake — not just for buildings, but for kids.  

“I ask you to please stop this madness. For some of these kids, this is the only family and safe place they have. Think about their mental health and the overall well-being of all of our students,” Kiger said.  

Following Wednesday’s public comment session, the board agreed it would move on to vote on Plan 4BR, which would retain Benton and Central as high schools, but would move Lafayette to a middle school.

The board has reviewed 14 different plans, which include different high school model examples.

SJSD families, students and staff have dealt with the back-and-forth and high emotions associated with the decision and the pressure the board has with choosing which model will best suit the district.

The board is expected to take a vote on Monday, Nov. 24.

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New North Shoppes veterinary clinic expects to start taking first clients in January

News-Press NOW on November 21, 2025

News-Press NOW

By Darren Doyle

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — An Andrew County native said he expects his veterinary practice to open near the Shoppes at North Village early next year.

After growing up around the profession and getting educated in Veterinary Medicine, Austin Haeker is ready to take on a practice of his own.

Haeker attended Savannah High School and earned degrees from Kansas State University and the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.

“I started as a kennel boy… worked my way up to assisting with surgeries and things, and seeing, helping with rooms. (Since college), I have been working for the past year or so at Taylor Animal Hospital in Parkville…Smithville. Now I’m ready to come back up and open up a practice,” said Dr. Haeker. 

Haeker intends to provide a regularly scheduled clinic for dogs, cats and other small animals. He also plans to offer 24-hour on-call emergency services to pet owners in the Northwest Missouri area. 

The clinic is located at 5423 North Pointe Drive in St. Joseph, behind the Shoppes at North Village. The clinic has been under construction since February.

“It seems to be the place that St. Joe’s is gravitating towards, right? All the new stuff’s going up there. We wanted to be somewhere convenient for people,” Haeker said. “Right off the interstate, people can find us pretty easily.”

Haeker said an open house is planned on Friday, Jan. 9. He said he expects to start taking new clients on Wednesday, Jan. 14. 

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Mid-Buchanan, St. Joe Christian eye berth in state semifinals with victories Saturday

News-Press NOW on November 21, 2025

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One win stands between area teams like Mid-Buchanan, St. Joseph Christian and West Platte from a spot in the final four of the Missouri High School Football State Tournament.

Quarterfinal matchups are set to kick off across the state this Saturday at 1 p.m., including one in St. Joseph between 8-man District 5 champion St. Joseph Christian and undefeated District 6 champion Rock Port at St. Joseph Christian High School.

Mid-Buchanan, winners of back-to-back district titles, will take their undefeated record to Monroe City for a high-profile matchup with the Panthers, winners of 10 in a row.

The West Platte Blue Jays and Maryville Spoofhounds will hit the road for their quarterfinal games against Adrian and St. Michael the Archangel.

State championship games for all classes will be hosted in St. Joseph from Dec. 4 through Dec. 6 at Spratt Stadium.

8-Man State Quarterfinal Preview

Matchup: St. Joseph Christian (6-5) vs Rock Port (11-0)

Time: Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph Christian High School, 5401 Gene Field Rd

Next: Winner faces Concordia (8-3) or Wellington-Napoleon (9-2)

Class 1 State Quarterfinal Preview

Matchup: West Platte (8-3) vs. Adrian (8-3)

Time: Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. at Adrian High School, 605 NE State Route 18

Next: Winner faces Thayer (10-1) or Tipton (10-1)

Class 2 State Quarterfinal Preview

Matchup: Mid-Buchanan (11-0) vs Monroe City (10-1)

Time: Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. at Monroe City High School, 401 Business Highway 36

Next: Winner faces St. Pius X (7-5) or Montgomery County (9-2)

Class 3 State Quarterfinal Preview

Matchup: Maryville (9-2) vs St. Michael the Archangel (9-3)

Time: Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. at Lee’s Summit North High School, 901 NE Douglas St.

Next: Winner faces Dexter (10-1) or Lift for Life (8-4)

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Pocatello Regional Airport adds second daily Delta Flight to Salt Lake

KIFI on November 21, 2025

Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Starting next year, travelers flying out of the Pocatello Regional Airport will have more options when traveling to Salt Lake City. The airport officially announced Friday that Delta will add a second daily round-trip flight between the two cities starting on May 7, 2026.

Airport Manager Alan Evans says the new flight will provide passengers with more options and reduce long layovers.

“We are excited to announce the addition of a second daily flight,” said Airport Manager Alan Evans. “We’re grateful for our long-standing relationship with Delta and SkyWest and appreciate their commitment to improving service for our community.”

The new schedule will feature flights out of Pocatello at 11:44 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., with inbound flights arriving from Salt Lake City at 10:31 a.m. and 6:25 p.m.

“This is great news for Pocatello residents and travelers from across the region who rely on our airport,” said Mayor Brian Blad. “We know how important additional flights are for travelers and look forward to this increased schedule.”

Tickets for both daily flights are now available for purchase. For more information or to purchase tickets, click HERE.

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Cole Camp PTO treasurer accused of embezzling more than $4,100

KMIZ on November 21, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman described as the treasurer of the Cole Camp R-1 Parent-Teacher Organization has been accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from the group.

Andrea Butler, of Cole Camp, was charged Friday in Benton County with stealing more than $750. A criminal summons was issued on Friday and an initial court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.

The probable cause statement says Butler became the PTO’s treasurer on Sept. 11 and that from Oct. 16-Nov. 6, she “cashed checks and made withdrawals that did not correspond with any PTO events as well as withdrew money for PTO events but did not deposit back the cash withdrawn or the cash made on the event.”

The statement also alleges she made several purchases on Amazon. The total amount of money stolen was $4,138.43, according to court documents.

Butler is not currently listed as the treasurer on the PTO’s website.

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Idaho Falls Fire Department launches “Fill the Ambulance” toy drive Nov. 21

KIFI on November 21, 2025

News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Fire Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Falls Fire Department (IFFD), in partnership with Idaho Falls Firefighters IAFF Local 1565, is proud to announce the return of the “Fill the Ambulance” Toy Drive, benefiting the Ronald McDonald Family Room in Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission.

From Nov. 21 through Dec. 12, community members are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys at any Idaho Falls Fire Station. Toys are needed for children ages 0–18, with the greatest need for ages 10–18. Donations will be routinely collected and placed into an out-of-service ambulance with the goal of filling it completely with gifts for local children in need.

This year’s toy drive will support two organizations:

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Idaho, which provides comfort, care, and support to families with children receiving medical treatment. Donated toys will go to children in the hospital and their siblings.

Idaho Falls Rescue Mission (IFRM), which serves families and individuals in crisis.

“This effort is a way for our community to come together and support children and families facing difficult circumstances,” said Idaho Falls Firefighter Donovan Hendrix. “Last year, I witnessed people of all ages and demographics show up to give to those in need. I am honored to help lead this year’s toy drive with the IFFD as we again ask for the community’s support.”

A festive finale to the drive will take place on Friday, Dec. 13, as the decorated ambulance participates in the RMHC 5th Annual Toy Drive, Light Parade and Ugly Sweater Car Show at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) on 3200 Channing Way. The Ugly Sweater Car Show begins at 4 p.m. and the Light Parade begins at 5 p.m., starting at Teton Toyota and ending at EIRMC on the corner of Sunnyside and Channing Way.

Important Donation Guidelines:

All toys must be new due to health and safety concerns.

Toys must remain unwrapped to allow for proper distribution and safety checks.

Donations must be received by 5 p.m. on Dec. 12.

The Idaho Falls Fire Department and IAFF Local 1565 invite everyone to join in the spirit of giving and help Fill the Ambulance this holiday season! For more information, click HERE.

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750,000 acre-feet of new water storage by 2100: Idaho leaders/farmers develop long-term water plan

KIFI on November 21, 2025

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A group of Idaho leaders, including state representatives, city officials, and farmers, recently returned from Washington, D.C., after successful meetings with the state’s federal delegation. Their goal was to secure important federal funding for new water storage in an effort to combat the state’s ongoing water troubles.

The proposals, as outlined in Senate Joint Memorial 101, include potentially rebuilding the Teton dam, along with expanding the Ashton, Minidoka, and Jackson Lake Dams, and even supporting aquifer recharge projects on federal lands.

RELATED: State and local leaders head to D.C. to push for federal funding to solve Idaho’s water troubles

State Senator Kevin Cook described the meetings with Idaho’s congressmen and senators as “highly positive.” With their guidance, they are now moving forward by mapping out a comprehensive long-term plan, starting with a study across the Snake Plain Aquifer.

“Basically, we want 750,000 acre-feet of new surface water storage by the year 2100,” explained Senator Cook. “They were excited to see that we had plans, that it wasn’t just a short-term fix, but we’re looking now 75 years (into the future.)”

Last session, the Idaho Legislature passed House Bill 445, which appropriates an ongoing $30 million toward the Idaho Department of Water Resources to fund water infrastructure projects. However, Senator Cook emphasizes that even with the additional funds, the project to rebuild the Teton Dam alone would cost upwards of a $1 billion.

“Frankly, in a project like the Teton Dam, there’s just no way that the state can afford that,” said Cook. “We’re going to need some federal funds.”

Cook stressed the plan must be done right, particularly for the Teton Dam. The study of the Snake Plain aquifer could take up to two years, but they’re attempting to streamline the process by planning potential aquifer recharge and water storage projects amid the ongoing study.

Looking ahead, Cook says the next strategic step is to build support among Western States to gain stronger congressional backing for the necessary federal funding. Cook says the group is already planning a follow-up trip to Washington, D.C., next year to continue developing these long-term projects.

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Senator Wyden tours Redmond Airport terminal project, meets with local officials and residents about economy’s challenges

KTVZ on November 21, 2025

Spencer Sacks

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., took a tour Friday of the $180 million Redmond Airport terminal expansion project, calling it a “flight path for growth” and saying that also includes a need for several more air traffic controllers. He later met with local officials, businesses and family members about economic issues.

You can watch the senator’s two Redmond news conferences here in full, as livestreamed on KTVZ+.

“We’re working for more capacity to handle future crowds,” such as the upcoming holiday season, the senator said at the airport, joined on his visit by Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch and Airport Director Zachary Bass.

Wyden donned a “Fly Redmond” baseball cap and talked about how he and fellow Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley teamed up to secure $45 million in federal funding for the airport project, which is adding 80,000 square feet of space, covered jetways for boarding planes and much more.

“If you ask me, this is really a flight plan for growth in a wonderful part of Central Oregon, so this community can soar to even greater heights,” Wyden said.

He also noted that the Redmond Airport currently has four air traffic controllers at its FAA tower.

“They really need six, and they’d like to have eight,” he said, adding, “You cannot have big-league quality of life with Little League infrastructure, and that’s what’s so important about this community and this airport.”

Later, Wyden met privately, then held a news conference at NeighborImpact in Redmond with local elected officials, business leaders and others who expressed concerns about current economic conditions, including tariff impacts on businesses, rising health-insurance premiums and other issues.

“All across our state, working people feel like they’ve been hit with a wrecking ball,” the senator said. He later said he requested the meeting to “get the latest reality about life on the ground,” accusing the administration of telling “fables.”

State Senator Anthony Broadman and Bend Mayor Melanie Keebler were in attendance and spoke during the media conference portion of the event.

Adam Black, the kitchen manager at Shepherd’s House in Redmond, described how the rise in food costs has affected him.

“We’ve been watching food costs rise consistently. We have people who come in daily who are struggling,” Black said. “We’re happy to provide food boxes, but we can only do it so long as the food stays affordable.”

In advance of his visit, Senator Wyden made a substantial donation to Shepherd’s House.

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THE MILITARY FAMILY: Care and Share helps military families weather government shutdown

KRDO on November 21, 2025

Heather Skold

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — For the more than 44,000 civilian government employees across Colorado, as well as service members early in their careers, the government shutdown felt especially hard.

The prior, not paid on time for work done over a month’s time; the latter, with already tight budgets seeking food pantries with added demand amid frozen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

A total of 620,000 people in Colorado rely on SNAP benefits. 

It’s obvious: a big chunk of those populations live in Southern Colorado. 

Thankfully, the Care and Share Food Bank has “Feeding America,” a three-year-long hunger grant, specifically meant to meet needs in the military. 

“We’re recipients of that now, as we have consistent money for military and veteran hunger — active duty and veteran hunger for the next three years,” said Nate Springer, CEO and President of Care and Share Food Bank. 

Springer is uniquely qualified for the job, having served 23 years in the Army.  

“I feel like it’s my obligation, as someone who had a wonderful experience in the military for a few decades, to be able to help our young men and women that are giving their all for our nation.”

Care and Share has expanded its reach within the military community at food giveaways and pantries on various installations, to include a mobile market. 

“It’s a rolling grocery store.  We took beverage trucks and converted them into rolling grocery stores. We can drive that into a community or onto an installation, open up all the sides, pull out the shelving, and then people can just come in and shop for free at that mobile grocery store.” 

600 families were served on Patriot Day at Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, and 1,000 veterans and their families served during the Heroes Helping Heroes event in Pueblo. 

Care and Share serves a 29-county, 47,000-square-mile region — a little under half of the state — that stretches from Monument to the New Mexico border, and from Utah to Kansas.  It provides food to 278 other nonprofits. 

Looking for food assistance?  Click here. 

Ready to give? Click here.

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